Comparative venomics of Brazilian coral snakes: Micrurus frontalis, Micrurus spixii spixii, and Micrurus surinamensis. (August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sanz, Libia; de Freitas-Lima, Lucas N.; Quesada-Bernat, Sarai; Graça-de-Souza, Viviane K.; Soares, Andreimar M.; Calderón, Leonardo de A.; Calvete, Juan J.; Caldeira, Cleópatra A.S.
• Is Part Of: Toxicon. Volume 166(2019)
• Page Start: 39
• Page End: 45
• Publication Date: 2019-08
• Subjects: Snake venom -- 3FTx/PLA2 dichotomy -- Venomics -- Brazilian coral snakes -- Genus Micrurus -- Brazilian southern coral snake -- Micrurus frontalis -- Amazon coral snake -- Micrurus spixii spixii -- Aquatic coral snake -- Micrurus surinamensis; Toxins -- Periodicals; Venom -- Periodicals; 615.9
• DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2019.05.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0041-0101

Abstract

Abstract: A comparative venom proteomic analysis of the Brazilian southern coral snake, M. frontalis, the Amazon coral snake M. spixii spixii, and the aquatic coral snake M. surinamensis is reported. Venoms from M. frontalis and M. s. spixii were composed mainly (>90% of the total venom proteome) by 3FTxs and PLA2 s in different proportions, and minor proteins from 2 to 5 protein families. Conversely, the aquatic coral snake expressed a streamlined (95%) 3FTx venom with low abundance (4.2%) of PLA2 molecules. A compositional-lethal activity for natural prey correlation analysis suggests that M. surinamensis venom may has evolved under strong pressure to quickly immobilize aquatic prey. On the other hand, venoms from M. frontalis and M. s. spixii, whose diet consist mainly of amphisbaenians and colubrid snakes, may have been shaped through balancing selection. Our work provides strong evidence for the occurrence in M. frontalis venom, but not in those from M. s. spixi and M. surinamensis, of a KUN-PLA2 complex homologue to heterodimeric venom toxins from some long-tailed monadal coral snakes that target acid-sensing receptors ASIC1a/2 evoking pain. The M. frontalis protein would represent the first example of a KUN-PLA2 heterodimer in a South American short-tailed triadal coral snake venom. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Comparative venomics showed that Micrurus frontalis and M. s. spixii exhibited balanced (3FTx ~ PLA2 ) venom phenotypes. The aquatic coral snake, M. surinamensis, expressed a streamlined (95%) 3FTx venom. The three coral snakes investigated exhibited high evolvability, sharing only a few ESI-MS toxin masses among them. Balanced and streamlined venom phenotypes may have evolved under different selective regimes. The first KUN-PLA2 complex in South American short-tailed triadal coral snakes was identified in M. frontalis venom.